The present invention relates to the field of cooking devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a steam tray for use in a microwave oven for cooking meats, vegetables, and other food products.
Cooking food in a microwave oven can be a difficult task. Foods cooked in a microwave oven tend to be tough and/or dry in texture and consistency rather than tender and moist. When liquid is added to the food in an attempt to retain moisture, the food can become soggy and undesirable. In addition, microwave ovens do not evenly distribute heat to the product being cooked. This results in a cooked food product that may be very hot in one area, but cold in another area. Because of this, many people consider microwave cooking to be boring and bland. Nevertheless, consumers often prefer to cook foods in a microwave oven because of the reduced cooking time required to heat foods in a microwave oven.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooking device that cooks meats and other food products in the microwave to a texture and consistency that is tender and moist while preventing the food products from becoming soggy and undesirable. Another object of the present invention is to provide a re-usable microwave cooking device that more evenly and efficiently distributes heat to the food being cooked. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a microwave cooking device that cooks fresh foods in a healthy manner, specifically steaming, while also allowing the consumer to prepare a delicious food dish in a short amount of time. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel cooking device to increase the overall enjoyment of cooking in a microwave oven.